What a Holiday
by JENTWCSINYFAN2
Summary: Tony and an emergency appendectomy. the team is there and Zoe as well as Agent Borin with Gibbs and Bishop. in progress. and a friend dustytiger helped me run it
1. Chapter 1

So this is Christmas: Tony angst with a little Zoe thrown in and a guest who is in Gibbs' life as well.

Three days before Christmas:

A hospital room in Virginia that read same day surgery on the outside wall.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat beside the man in the bed waiting for him to wake up.

Then Tony Dinozzo stirred. "Wha happened?" His speech was groggy sounding from the anesthetic they had given him.

Gibbs replied. "You had to have your appendix out. You passed out on the floor of the head at the office. That was about twelve hours ago give or take. They got it just in time, once it was out it ruptured Dinozzo."

He blinked. "No, I just had a bad burrito boss that was all."

He tried to move and felt his side throb and his face went pale. "That wasn't smart."

"Next time you'll listen to me, you have a scar on your side and you're going to be tender there for a while. "

Tony swallowed. "Kind of thirsty, mouth feels like I swallowed something furry."

"I'll go get the nurse to bring something in for you" Gibbs said and walked out of his room and down the hall.

Tony saw the blanket over him that had black bats on it and little moons and knew Abby had been there since it was soft and fuzzy feeling. He laid down again and then cinnamon and vanilla wafted into his room. He said "Agent Borin?"

She replied "Well it's good to see you awake Tony. Now maybe I can get Gibbs to go home and get some sleep." "We'll stay until Zoe gets here with you."

"Sorry." "Kind of screwed the pooch on everybody's Christmas didn't me?" He was quiet again.

She touched his arm. "Don't mope. You didn't ruin anything. ""You know Gibbs worries about all of you. He wanted to be here for you so you had someone."

"I don't feel all that great right now. " His head turned to face the wall for a moment.

Then the nurse walked in. "I heard you were thirsty Agent Dinozzo." She popped open a can of ginger ale and poured it into a plastic cup with crushed ice. She added a straw and said "Take it slowly, your stomach may still be a little unhappy."

Tony nodded. "I will thank you." He took a slow swallow from the straw and then waited a minute. "Think that will be ok."

Then heels clicked outside the doorway. Zoe's boots, he knew them. They sounded similar to the ones Borin liked.

Zoe Keates walked in and went to Tony's side."

He said "Hey Zoe."

She moved closer and gently ran her hand through his hair a little. "What am I going to do with you Tony?"

He saw that her eyes looked a little damp. "Don't cry I'll be fine."

She took a shaky breath. "I know you will."

Then he reached for more soda and sipped again from the straw.

Gibbs said "Since you're here with him Keates, I'm going to go home and get a quick shower. I'll check back in later on him."

She nodded. "I'll call you if anything changes Gibbs."

"The team may be popping in and out too. Not for today just yet." He said.

"I'm not in the shape for company right now boss. Still feel kind of weak." "Can they give me a day?"

"Sure, get some rest. You need that to get stronger so you can get out of here."

Tony nodded. "Yeah I do, go home ok?"

Gibbs looked at him and raised an eyebrow "All right cowboy."

Then Gibbs and Borin walked out of the room together.

Zoe said "This didn't happen because I asked for some space did it?" "You were taking care of yourself?"

"I got a burrito and it did a number on my stomach. Apparently my appendix wanted some attention just for fun. So here I am with a scar that will no doubt be killer when it heals." "So no this didn't happen because we were on a time out."

Zoe held his hand. "Ok, I didn't know what to think when Gibbs called me and said you were going into surgery. I had to finish up a joint stakeout with Fornell or I would have been here sooner." She was dressed casually in an emerald green sweater and some jeans for work and for Christmas.

Tony nodded. "I'm tired. Think the stuff they gave me to put me in lala land for the surgery hasn't quite worn off yet."

She said "Sleep Spider. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right over there in that chair beside you." She pulled out her Kindle and sat down after tucking Tony's blanket around him more snugly. She made a mental note to go by his place and get the things he slept in as well as other comfortable clothes for him to wear while he was here.

But right now she would just be there. She blamed herself for this even if it wasn't because of her. He looked so pale and tired in the bed. It was good that Gibbs had been there with him right now. He hadn't been alone when he was sick before the surgery.


	2. Chapter 2

A few hours later: Tony woke up and saw that Zoe was holding his hand. "Hey honey."

"I think that nap helped you, how do you feel?"

"Less dopey now but still a little sore on my side."

She nodded. "That's good but it will take a little more time to heal."

He said "I think I feel a little hungry too."

"I'll go ask the nurse if you can try some jello or something, you might need easy food for a while."

He nodded. "Thank you."

He managed to sit up by moving slowly. That felt better than being flat on his back. Then the nurse came in with Zoe.

"I brought you some jello and some chicken broth. We'll try that and see if it stays down first." The nurse said.

He nodded. "I'll go slowly but it sounds good."

Zoe sat back down near him. "Do you need help? " She moved the tray onto a table that slid over his waist area for him.

"I think I can do it. Hmm the broth first or the jello? Think I'll have my sort of soup and then dessert. He opened the lid of the soup bowl and added a few crackers to it before picking up his spoon and taking some slowly.

"Never thought soup would actually taste good." He swallowed it carefully and waited a moment. "I think it likes me."

Zoe smiled. "Good if you eat something you'll feel stronger."

"Then I can go home or at least get out of here."

"I might have to stay with you or you'll be at Gibbs' for a while."

"Ok." He ate more of the broth until it was gone and then reached for the lime jello. "I wonder is there ever a shortage of lime jello? I had that once before when I was in the hospital. Years ago now, earlier in my time at NCIS."

"I don't know. You had pneumonic plague then?"

"Opened a contaminated letter. A woman whose daughter was raped but there were no charges filed by NCIS when she was in the Navy's mother went off the deep end. Was touch and go for a while but well here I am? It's why I have to be careful with colds and don't like winter much."

She listened. "I'm glad you told me Tony. Now I know some of what happened after you left Philly besides well Baltimore."

"Yes you do." He ate a little jello and then felt full. "Not that hungry now must be the medicine I'm on. Though I do need to go to the bathroom."

The bell was pushed for the nurse. Zoe helped Tony get out of the bed slowly. He was a little bent over. "Feel like an old man right now."

"I know but it will get better." The nurse came in and helped Tony to the bathroom slowly.

He managed to walk in by himself and do what he needed to do.

After a few minutes he came out. "I'm tired just from the bathroom. "

The nurse replied "That's normal you had emergency surgery. Your system needs a while to recover from the shock to it. It is good for you to try and walk though. If you keep that up we may get you out of here tomorrow morning."

He sighed. "Christmas Eve. Had things I needed to do at my apartment? Oh well need to heal first right?"  
Zoe patted his arm. "Once we get you home you'll feel better. I got some of your comfortable clothes to wear and I know there is a certain movie you like to watch. But your team wants to do that with you."

"It's A Wonderful Life. We watch it on Christmas Eve when there is a case with mulled cider. This year well we'll see."

"Hey we can make it happen. Everybody will want to know how you're feeling. It will be fun."

"Ok I hope I won't bother Gibbs and Borin. Wonder what that's all about but I'll behave for now."

Zoe smiled "Good boy spider. I don't want Gibbs to give you another reason to stay in the hospital any longer."


	3. Chapter 3

Tony went for a walk down the hospital hall slowly with Zoe and his IV pole. Then he saw her, a little girl who was bald and in a pink sparkly robe. He said "Zoe go into my bag and get my extra baseball cap. I think I see someone who would like one."

Zoe nodded and went to Tony's room. Tony walked slowly over to where the little girl was sitting with her mom. "It stinks to be in the hospital before Santa comes."

The little girl said "My name is Kelly, what's yours?"

He replied "Tony. I had to have my appendix out."

She nodded. "There's something wrong with my blood Luke something. The medicine makes me have no hair."  
He said "You're still pretty Kelly."

Then Zoe came back with the baseball cap he had asked for and smiled when she saw him with the little girl.

"How would you like a cool hat to wear? We have these where I work and when we go get bad guys." He handed her the cap then.

Her mother smiled. "What do you say Kelly?"

She put the hat on and said "Thank you Tony are you a policeman or something?"

He replied "Kind of, my job helps people in the navy and marines."

She nodded. "When do you get to go home?"

"Maybe tomorrow, what about you?"

"I get to go then for Christmas but then I have to come back the day after Santa comes."

Tony nodded "Well I bet you will get lots of fun things from him."

He handed her mom his card. "I might know a few of Santa's elves who can help."

Her mom smiled and teared up. "Thank you so much Agent Dinozzo, with Kelly sick I haven't done much."

"Just give me your address and let me do the rest." He patted her shoulder. "You concentrate on making Kelly better. She's a sweet kid."

Her mom nodded. "She has been such a fighter. Her dad and her brother have had to handle a lot."

"I can't even imagine." Tony said. "Just for a little while she can be a regular kid again. Merry Christmas to you and your family."

"Thank you and I hope you feel better soon."

She gave Tony her address on a Post It Note and went down the hall with Kelly.

Zoe said "What are you thinking Spider?"

"That brave girl and her family deserve a nice Christmas. I wonder if the team will want in."

She nodded. "I do, this is an amazing idea."

Tony smiled. "Did you see her face light up when she put that cap on? You would have thought it was the world, she's so brave." He swallowed for a minute.

Zoe rubbed his arm. "Well I think I have a few other elves to call. Let's get you back to your room first though."

He nodded. "I am doing the right thing though?"

"Yes and I couldn't be any prouder of you." Zoe kissed his cheek.

"Good a kid shouldn't be sick anyway and not at Christmas." He sat down in one of the chairs in his room slowly. Then he picked up his cell phone.

"Hey McGee it's me I need a favor. I met a little girl here in the hospital who could use a Merry Christmas. Her name is Kelly Jensen. She has leukemia. Her mom has a lot on her plate."

"Well whatever an eight year old girl likes. Her brother Louis is 10 and likes Star Trek and Star Wars toys."

"Dad teaches high school English on the Quantico Marine base and Mom is a part time nurse when she isn't taking care of Kelly. I want to give them all a nice Christmas."

"Should be home tomorrow." "My tree just needs decorated and a few other things. Keeping it simple. I am sure the team will want in, thanks Tim." "They live at 324 Oak Street in Quantico."

Tony hung up the phone. Well the NCIS elves were on the job.

Zoe was on her own phone. "Hey Cesar I need a favor done. Tony met a little girl here in the hospital who needs some Christmas cheer. Her name is Kelly Jensen and they live at 324 Oak Street in Quantico. She's 8 and dealing with leukemia. Her mom has been by her side pretty much and hasn't gotten time to think about the family Christmas. I think it's an amazing idea too. We'll let the team know and see if they want in. He should be released tomorrow." "Thanks, he's getting stronger and eating more little by little."

"I'll tell him that some ATF elves are on the case." "I'll talk to you soon." Then she hung up.

"Well my team is on board. This could be a Christmas that family will never forget spider."

Tony smiled. "It makes me feel good to help someone else. I don't need a big celebration anyway. I'm sure the team will get together with me at some point which is good enough."

She said "Gibbs wants us at his house for Christmas dinner."

He nodded. "Well I can eat some mashed potatoes or something, maybe a little ham if I go easy."

"You'll feel better when you get out of here and have a night in your own bed and a shower. Though I do like you a little unshaven."

"Well since I'm off a while I will keep it that way brown eyed girl."


End file.
